Beaver Dams: Why They’re a Problem and What Can be Done

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Budgetanimal

Beavers, those industrious, semi-aquatic rodents, are renowned for their dam-building activities. While their engineering feats are often admired, these structures can pose significant challenges for the surrounding ecosystem and human habitation. Understanding the implications of beaver dams is not just relevant, but necessary for effective beaver control and removal.

This blog post aims to delve into the world of beavers and their dams, highlighting the problems they cause, and exploring potential solutions. So, whether you’re an ecologist, a curious nature enthusiast, or someone contending with a beaver dam dilemma, read on to unravel the intricacies of beaver control and removal.

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The Importance of Beavers and Their Dams

Before we dive into the problems caused by beaver dams, it’s essential to acknowledge the vital role these creatures play in their ecosystem. Beavers are considered a keystone species, meaning they have a significant impact on their environment and are crucial for maintaining their balance. They create wetland habitats that support a diverse range of plant and animal species, including endangered ones. Additionally, beaver dams can improve water quality by trapping sediment and pollutants, making them an essential component in regulating the health of aquatic systems.

The Problems with Beaver Dams

Despite their positive contributions to the environment, beavers can also create significant challenges for landowners and other wildlife. Their dam-building activities can cause flooding and block water flow, which can result in waterlogged fields, damage to infrastructure, and erosion of stream banks. This can be particularly problematic for areas where human settlements and agricultural activities are concentrated. Furthermore, the flooded areas created by beaver dams can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects.

What Can Be Done About Beaver Dams?

The removal of beaver dams is a contentious issue, as it involves balancing the needs and interests of various stakeholders. While there are instances where removing a beaver dam may seem like the only solution, it’s crucial to consider the potential consequences carefully. In some cases, removal can lead to increased conflict with beavers, who will then attempt to rebuild their dam or find a new location, perpetuating the cycle of disruption. Additionally, removing beaver dams can have a detrimental impact on the ecosystem by disrupting the natural flow of water and affecting the species that rely on it.

Alternative Solutions for Beaver Control

Fortunately, there are alternative critter control solutions for managing beavers and their dams – solutions that can mitigate their negative impacts while still recognizing their crucial role in the ecosystem. For example, installing devices called “beaver deceivers” can help control the water level behind a beaver dam without removing the structure entirely. This device allows water to flow through while preventing beavers from plugging up the culverts with branches and debris. Other methods include fencing off areas vulnerable to flooding, implementing habitat management techniques that encourage beavers to build their dams in locations less likely to cause conflict, and the most effective, professional critter control services.

Final Thoughts

Beavers and their dams are a complex issue that requires careful consideration and management. While their activities can create problems for human settlement and agricultural activities, they also play an essential role in maintaining the health of ecosystems. Instead of viewing beaver control as a black-and-white issue, it’s necessary to find solutions that balance the needs of all stakeholders and promote coexistence with these amazing creatures. So, whether you’re a landowner or a lover of nature, remember that there are ways to unravel the challenges posed by beavers without disrupting their vital contributions to our environment.

When nothing seems to keep nuisance wildlife away, you need professional animal removal service. Contact Budget Animal Removal at 615-337-9165 for TWRA licensed and insured Nashville, Tennessee critter control services you can afford. We use safe and humane methods of beaver dam removal and beaver control. Plus, we serve both residential and commercial customers.

What You Need to Know About Beavers

Posted on January 31, 2022 by Budgetanimal

Although you wouldn’t immediately think so, beavers are actually categorized as a common nuisance wildlife species here in Indiana. There are many land damages that can result from localized beaver activity, all of which can pose even more serious hazards and threats. Areas that are heavily populated with beavers should take extra precaution. This is especially true for homes and businesses located near moderately-large bodies of water, like streams and ponds.

Continue below to learn some important facts about beavers. Get to know them better so that you can better control their nuisance activities and behaviors.

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Facts About Beavers You Should Know

If you live in an area populated by beavers, these are the facts you need to know. Understanding beaver lifestyle and behavior can help you better protect your property from animal damages.

Beaver Biology

Are beavers rodents? Yes, they are! The American Beaver, scientifically called Castor canadensis, is actually the largest rodent in North America. In fact, they are the second largest rodent in the entire world! Beavers are indeed large, capable of reaching 70 pounds or more in adulthood. As semi-aquatic mammals, they spend the majority of their time in and around water.

Beaver Reproduction

A fun fact about beavers is that they mate for life. Once a male and female partner up, they stick together forever! They birth their young in the late spring, usually around May. Their offspring, called kits, are born with a full set of teeth, a coat of fur, and open eyes. In fact, they are swimming within the first 24 hours! Within two years, young beavers take on an adult role and venture out on their own.

Beaver Behavior

They are a family-oriented species, so if you see one, there are definitely more. Beavers tend to stick in pods of 8 to 10, but that number can fluctuate depending on the local regional conditions. As a family-friendly species, beavers are also protective and territorial, often marking local mud puddles with their urine.

Beavers are mostly nocturnal, meaning they are active between the hours of dusk and dawn. During this time, they forage for food, add onto their dams, and build underwater canal systems. Beavers are herbivores, meaning they only eat plant matter. They chew and gnaw down trees and take twigs back to their lodges for food storage.

Nuisance Beaver Control

Beavers are known for their dams, which they build in streams to make a pond. This can be a big problem in urban and metro areas. Their underwater canal systems can also do quite a bit of destruction to the local lands. Their dams can cause flooding, destroy creeks and streams, and even kill trees. How can you stop a nuisance beaver problem? Sometimes, beavers are too destructive, and must be trapped and relocated, but in most cases, beavers can be a beneficial asset with the right animal control and mitigation plan in place.

Are you ready to talk to a licensed wildlife professional about your beaver abatement options? Contact Budget Animal Removal at 317-875-3099 for trusted and affordable critter control for beavers in Indianapolis, Indiana. We serve residential and commercial clients. Request a free quote, anytime.

Be On the Lookout for Beaver Dam Problems This Fall

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Budgetanimal

Beavers do not hibernate, and continue to build and maintain their dams and lodges all year long. Right now is a prime time for beaver dam maintenance and production to commence, as beavers are preparing for inclement weather and the conditions it causes.

Although beaver dams provide our Eco-system with several advantages, there are also several disadvantages that can lead to serious inconveniences, costly repairs, and even safety risks, for both residential and commercial properties. This time of year, you should be on the lookout for beaver dam problems, namely flooding, if you live in a beaver-populated area of Indiana.

Continue reading to learn more about the nuisances and risks surrounding beaver dams, and what you can do if you have a nuisance beaver problem around your home.

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Beaver Dam Flooding

Flooding is the most common consequence caused by beaver dams. Flood water can be treacherous and destructive in many ways; from residential to commercial real estate, to land, plants, and timber. Several natural and man-made structures are frequently harmed by floodwaters caused by local beaver dams. Timber, agriculture, homes, buildings, roadways, and more can all be negatively affected by beaver obstructions. Continue reading to learn about some common areas negatively impacted by beaver dams.

Homes and Buildings

Flood water can cause a substantial amount of damage to commercial and residential real estate. If beaver colonies live nearby, homes and buildings can all be at risk to structural damages from flooding. Beaver dams create floodwaters that can overflow into backyards, parking lots, and even basements. Sitting water can cause a long list of structural harm; everything from dry wall deterioration to mold growth. Beavers are also known to gnaw on decks, patios, and other wooden structures around homes and buildings. This reduces building value, as well as, the physical appearance and aesthetics of a property.

Streets and Walkways

Public roadways are another area affected by beaver dam construction and floodwaters. Roadside ditches and drainage channels are perfect environments for beavers and dam building. Not only can dams flood the roads and obstruct traffic, they can cause asphalt erosion too. All these implications have caused auto accidents, closed roadways, culvert and bridge repair, and much more.

Farms and Crops

Agriculture can also be damaged by floodwaters. Beaver dams can cause creeks, brooks, rivers, and streams to overflow on large acreage of cropland. This makes it impossible for farm equipment to access the land. Also, beavers will eat crops, or cut them down for dam building material. All this can negatively affect the growth and health of plants and other crops on farmland. Homes near beaver populations have also been victim to gardens and plants being picked off by local beavers.

Trees and Ornamental Plants

Trees play a very important role in nature; and play multiple roles in the lives of residential and commercial property owners. Beavers are also fans of trees and plant life. They gnaw them and use them to build their dams that flood our streets and lands. Eventually, these trees die; then they become a safety hazard because they can weaken and fall over. For commercial reasons, this can be costly if beavers are damaging high-grade hard woods. For homeowners, dead trees look bad and can fall without notice. Beavers can also harm trees by flooding the land. If the water is not drained fast enough, it can kill the trees.

Ornamental plant damages are another trademark of nuisance beaver populations. Decorative shrubs, plants, bushes, and small trees are common targets for beavers. This can be a frustrating and expensive problem for commercial landscapes, gardening enthusiasts, local parks, and more.

Beaver Control Regulations

In most states, a person is required to have a license or permit for beaver control; or to trap beavers. It is illegal in most jurisdictions to capture, kill, harm, or hunt beavers. A legal approach to getting rid of a beaver problem is to hire a professional animal control company. A reputable animal removal business uses safe and humane capture and release strategies to get rid of nuisance beavers. This is the best place to start when trying to eliminate a beaver issue. Skilled trappers retain the proper equipment and training to quickly and effectively remove beavers from any property.

Indianapolis Beaver Removal And Control

Call Budget Animal Removal at 317-875-3099 to safely and quickly get rid of beavers in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding areas. Our DNR licensed and insured wildlife rescue and control specialists offer nuisance wildlife abatement services, cleanup and minor restorations for animal damages, 24 hour emergency service, free estimates, and much more! Get started by requesting a free estimate or advice, today.